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Revelation 16

21 verses

TL;DR

Revelation 16 depicts the seven angels pouring out God’s wrath in a series of catastrophic plagues, culminating in a final earthquake and the ultimate judgment of the beast, the dragon, and the false prophet.

Summary

The chapter begins with a divine voice directing the seven angels to pour out the vials of God’s wrath. Each angel releases a plague—tremendous sores, the blood of seas and rivers, scorching heat, darkness over the beast’s kingdom, and the desiccation of the Euphrates—affecting the wicked who bear the mark of the beast. The narrative then turns to the spiritual realm, describing unclean spirits emerging from the dragon, beast, and false prophet to gather forces for the great battle at Armageddon. The seventh angel pours his vial into the air, prompting a divine declaration of completion and a massive earthquake unlike any before. The great city is shattered, Babylon is remembered in God’s wrath, and a hailstorm of heavy stones falls, provoking further blasphemy among men. Through these events, the chapter underscores the inevitability of divine judgment and the peril of resisting God’s authority.

Outline
  1. Seven angels unleash plagues as acts of divine judgment
  2. The spiritual realm mobilizes forces for the final battle
  3. The culmination with God’s declaration, earthquake, and destruction of the great city
Themes
Divine judgment and wrathThe persistence of evil and its ultimate defeatThe importance of faith and vigilance
Keywords
wrathvialbeastdragonangelplaguejudgmentfiredarknessearthquakehailArmageddon
People
Seven AngelsThe BeastThe DragonThe False Prophet
Places
TempleSeaRiversFountainsEuphratesArmageddonGreat CityBabylonMountainsIslands
Things
Vials of wrathMark of the beastBlood of the deadFireDarknessHailstonesStone of talent weight
Key Verses
  • Revelation 16:1: Initiates the pouring of divine wrath
  • Revelation 16:12: Highlights the drying of Euphrates, preparing for the battle
  • Revelation 16:18: Conveys the final judgment and the earth’s destruction
Questions
  • What does the series of plagues reveal about God's character?
  • How should believers respond to the warning of the final judgment?
  • In what ways does the narrative link physical and spiritual battles?
Sentiment

negative
The chapter emphasizes catastrophic judgment and the failure of the wicked.